The Lake Charles area, in the beginning stages of an industrial boom expected to add as much as $34 billion in new facilities, had the largest 1-year rate of growth in the state — 4.1 percent. That was an increase of 3,800 jobs, which placed the area’s total at 95,700.

Two percent job growth in the Houma-Thibodaux area pushed that region’s new total to 101,800.

Job gains also were recorded for the Shreveport and Monroe areas.

Shreveport employment grew 1.2 percent, or 2,000 jobs, to a July 31 total of 172,800 jobs.

Monroe attracted 700 new jobs, a nearly 1 percent gain, boosting its year-over-year total to 79,000.

Alexandria’s metro area posted Louisiana’s only 1-year job loss last month. After losing 200 jobs, or 0.3 percent, that area’s job total was recorded as 62,400.

LWC officials also said seasonally unadjusted numbers show Louisiana set a record last month with a civilian labor force of 2,164,914. The civilian labor force includes both jobholders and people looking for work.

In seasonally adjusted numbers, July’s total nonfarm employment was a Louisiana record 1,981,300. That record number was announced Monday by both the LWC and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.